THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY
608. Mr T J Brauteseth (DA) to ask the Minister of Trade and Industry:
(1) How many (a) international and (b) domestic hotel bookings were
made by (i) him, (ii) his predecessors and (iii) departmental
officials attending (aa) workshops, (bb) seminars, (cc)
oversight visits or (dd) any other relevant meetings of the
relevant portfolio committee from 1 April 2013 up to the latest
specified date for which information is available;
(2) in respect of each specified booking, what was the (a) date, (b)
name of the hotel, (c) number of delegates, (d) cost of the
hotel booking for each delegate and (e) the nature of the
relevant portfolio business dealt with?NW691E
Response:
Members of the Executive, by the very nature of their ministerial work are
required to travel extensively. Ministers and Deputy Ministers may choose
to occupy a state-owned residence in the area, in which their seat of
office resides. However, ministerial work is not limited to seats of
office and their duties require them to visit other provinces around the
country and travel abroad in order to fulfill their duties, which include
among others, interaction with communities and stakeholders in the course
of delivering on their mandates. In these instances, Ministers and Deputy
Ministers are accommodated in hotels or guest houses, when fulfilling
official duty away from their ordinary place of residence befitting to
their office requirements and as outlined in the relevant policies.
The 2013/14 year is currently being audited. The information will be
provided in the dtiâs Annual Report of 2013/14 which will be tabled later
this year.